Amateur-built MUSTANG accident near Port Norris, New Jersey, December 8, 1996
On December 8, 1996 at about 5:50 pm local time, a amateur-built MUSTANG, registered N7009S, was destroyed in an accident near Port Norris, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1996 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Port Norris, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MUSTANG
- Registration
- N7009S · registry record · serial 1322
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was maneuvering at less than 500 feet above the ground when he initiated a right turn. Witnesses reported the airplane suddenly banked to the left and descended, striking the roof of a store. Examination of the airplane confirmed fuel in the tanks and flight control continuity. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found with the airplane or engine. The student pilot's log book was not recovered, and his recent experience was not determined.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 8, 1996; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N92 Middletown DE at 4:00 pm
- Destination: MIV Millville NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from MIV, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC97LA026.